Thursday, April 21, 2011

At the Heritage, it’s about more than the golf being played at Harbour Town. Here are five reasons why it’s different than most tour stops:

1. It’s okay to wear red tartan plaid if you’re not Ian Poulter.

It’s fashionable, in fact. You’ll see men wearing red plaid kilts and red plaid plus-fours. It doesn’t work on everyone and you probably don’t need to take it off the island after this week but it works at the tournament.

2. The lighthouse

They don’t have one at San Antonio or Doral or even Quail Hollow.

But they have one at Hilton Head, sort of a lowcountry version of the Eiffel Tower.

3. Adult beverages

The concession stands sell wine and champagne by the glass. Or by the bottle.

They also sell mimosas.

At 9 a.m., I heard a concession worker trying to sell fans their “breakfast beer.” Business was sluggish on Thursday morning but it won’t be on the weekend.

4. Kids

They’re all over the place at the Heritage. They carry scoring standards. They compete in a Tuesday afternoon putting contest on the practice green at Harbour Town. They fill the bike paths that snake around the edge of the course. They’re golf fans, most of them, anyway.

5. Alligators

They’re a part of the scene. You find yourself scanning the bank of every lagoon you pass just to see if one of them is sunning itself. When a group of biker riders or golf fans have gathered near the edge of a lagoon, you know there’s a gator on display.